This invention relates to an apparatus and method for lifting and turning a patient confined to a bed. The ability to easily lift and turn a patient permits the patient to be easily bathed, dressed and undressed, exercised and otherwise cared for in ways which are difficult or impossible when the patient cannot be removed from the bed and therefore must be moved around on the surface of the bed. The ability to lift and suspend the patient above the surface of the bed permits easy and frequent changes of bed linens. These features substantially reduce staff labor and the amount of time required to properly and compassionately attend to a patient's physical and sanitary needs, reduce odors, skin infections and bed sores, and substantially improves the overall level of care which can be provided.
The apparatus according to the invention is equally adaptable for use in hospitals, nursing homes and in the patient's own home. In fact, the ease with which the patient can be cared for using the apparatus and method of the invention permits many patients to be cared for by their family at home, rather than being confined to a nursing home or hospital.
Typical procedures used to care for bedridden patients require that the patient be physically moved about on the surface of the bed. For example, care for incontinent patients typically requires that the patient be physically rolled or turned onto one side of the bed. The patient is held in that position manually or with a pillow wedged under the back while the draw sheet, plastic sheet and cloth sheet and even perhaps the mattress pad is removed from that side of the bed and placed next to the patient. Then, fresh bed linens are placed and arranged on the bare side of the bed. The patient is then manually rolled over the dirty linen onto the newly made side of the bed with the fresh linen, while the soiled side of the bed on which the patient was lying is changed. The soiled linen is removed and the clean linen already on the other side is pulled across the bed and arranged. Then, the patient is rolled to the center of the bed. If care is not taken, moving the patient back and forth on the bed while changing the bed linens can re-soil the freshly applied linens if the patient's clothes are themselves soiled--a condition which is very common.
Bathing patients is also quite difficult while the patient is lying on the bed. Many areas of the body are difficult to reach and properly clean unless the patient is turned or rolled. Constant contact between the patient and the bed almost insures re-soiling of either the patient or the bed linens since both cannot be cleaned at the same time.
Bedsores and poor blood circulation are common ailments of invalid patients. For this reason, good medical practice requires that a patient be rolled or turned from side-to-side periodically to relieve pressure on particular joints and muscles, and to vary the circulation pattern and permit free circulation to all parts of the body. Since invalid patients can suffocate if rolled over onto their stomach for any period of time, the patient is merely rolled partially so that the patient is lies flat on the back, then on towards one side, then the other side in alternating sequence, the patient being supported by a pillow against the side and under the back. This requires repeated physical labor by the person caring for the patient. Because of the difficulty of doing this, and staff shortages, patients very often are not turned as often as good medical practice requires.
This procedure is time-consuming and requires substantial physical labor. The amount of labor often requires that two or more persons carry out the steps described above. This often makes it impossible for a patient to be cared for at home even though the condition of the patient is otherwise acceptable for home care. This causes substantial additional health care costs, overcrowding and staff shortages. A recognized cause of the difficulty in hiring non-professional hospital and nursing home staff is the objection many otherwise willing and qualified staff have to the amount of physical labor required to attend to the sanitary needs of bedridden patients.
It is also documented that one of the significant causes of workers compensation claims and on-the-job injuries in hospitals and nursing homes are strains, muscle pulls and the like resulting from the continuous practice of the procedures described above.
The apparatus and method of the invention were conceived and developed as the result of a husband's desire to care for his invalid wife at home, and the unavailability of any apparatus to assist in caring for the wife's sanitary needs.